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The slowly evolving truth about heart disease and women
A century ago, so little was known about heart disease that people who had it resigned themselves to years of bed rest or, worse, an early death. Even less was known about how heart disease affected women – because nobody thought it did. Heart disease was considered a man's...
From anthropology to civil rights, Dr. William Montague Cobb's influence went beyond medicine
During an era of discrimination and segregation, Dr. William Montague Cobb fought racism with science. Cobb was a doctor, an anthropologist, a teacher, an author, an editor, a crusader for civil rights, and so much more. "It's amazing how many things he kept going at the same time," said Dr....
Quick action and CPR saved seventh grader in cross-country race
Memphis Zabawa loves playing soccer. Yet because he has asthma, all the running can be especially taxing. So, last fall, the seventh grader joined his school's cross-country team. His first race went fine. Midway through the second race, all was going well, too. His dad, Justin – a high school...
Super Bowl letdown? The big game can be stressful, but you can stay heart-healthy
On Super Bowl Sunday, you look forward to watching your favorite NFL team raise the championship trophy. All fun and games until the clock runs out, and the score leaves you feeling angry, blue or disappointed. For sports fans, watching their team lose the Super Bowl can generate quite a...
Escape room challenge helps nurses master best practices in stroke care
The room buzzes with activity as a team of nurses races against the clock. But instead of working to manage a medical crisis, they're playing a game that involves tinkering with jigsaw puzzles, black lights and locks to solve medical mysteries. It's all part of an escape room that researchers...
Days after writing a story about CPR, reporter used it on her dad
When Beyoncé and Taylor Swift toured Missouri last summer, broadcast reporter Farah Siddiqi used their appearances as an opportunity to teach people about CPR. She wrote a story explaining how songs like Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" and Swift's "The Man" can help people maintain the 100-120 beats per minute recommended for performing chest compressions when giving CPR. She also noted that when a bystander performs CPR, the person's chances of survival can double or triple.
When symptoms suggest a stroke, but it's something else
What looks and feels like a stroke sometimes isn't. Instead, sudden weakness, difficulty speaking, vision changes, dizziness and other symptoms of a stroke might be caused by something else – a stroke mimic. Conditions that mirror a stroke include seizure, migraine, psychiatric disorders, brain tumors, demyelinating diseases such as...
Dementia risk may nearly triple in first year after a stroke
Having a stroke may triple a person's risk for developing dementia within the following year, new research finds. And while that risk begins to drop after the first 12 months, it remains elevated for up to 20 years, according to findings to be presented next week at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference in Phoenix. The research is considered preliminary until full results are published in a peer-reviewed journal.
NBA hopeful's heart stopped on the court. CPR and an AED saved his life.
Omar Carter was hoping to catch the attention of an NBA scout when he walked onto the basketball court for a pro-am game in Charlotte, North Carolina. Carter had shown a lot of promise throughout his basketball career but hadn't been drafted yet. NBA superstar Steph Curry, Carter's good friend and high school teammate, told ESPN that Carter pushed him and could "physically dominate or out-skill" other players.
Common antidepressants appear safe for most stroke survivors
Most stroke survivors may be able to safely take commonly prescribed antidepressants to aid in their recovery, according to new research that could allay concerns over abnormal bleeding risks associated with these drugs. People with clot-caused strokes, or ischemic strokes, who took selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, and/or serotonin...
High blood pressure before 35 may triple Black women's stroke risk
Black women treated for high blood pressure in their 30s and 40s may face a substantially higher risk for having a stroke than their peers without a history of high blood pressure treatment, new research suggests. The findings showed Black women under 35 who were treated for high blood pressure,...
5 things women should ask their OB-GYN about their heart. Yes, the heart.
From the time they reach reproductive age, women are encouraged to visit an OB-GYN at least once a year for a wellness exam that may include screening for breast or cervical cancer, sexually transmitted diseases or other issues involving their reproductive organs. But a growing body of research suggests there's...
New research reveals surprising outcomes in overdose-related cardiac arrests
People whose hearts suddenly stop due to a drug overdose are younger, have fewer health problems and are more likely to survive with fewer neurological problems than those whose out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are due to other causes, new research shows. The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American...
Her smartwatch alerted her to a heart issue the week of her 40th birthday
Two days before her 40th birthday, JuNene K. Harris was asleep at home in Lancaster, Texas, when she woke up to her smartwatch buzzing incessantly on her wrist. JuNene – known professionally as JuNene K. – had gone to bed exhausted. For the past year, she'd been the primary caretaker of her brother, GJ, who had brain damage after a heart attack and stroke. Now, jolted awake in the middle of the night, she felt her heart racing. Her breathing was erratic and she couldn't speak. Her watch showed that her heart was beating over 180 times per minute.
How to make eating healthy easier? The answer may be on the tip of your tongue
If your New Year's resolution was to cut down on salt and sugar in your diet, you may have an unexpected ally: your taste buds. Research, and personal anecdotes, suggest that taste buds might adapt themselves to help us enjoy lower levels of salt and sugar and make it easier to eat healthier.
What is a heart attack? Cardiologists explain the condition following death of NBA coach
Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević died recently after a heart attack. Although most heart attacks happen in older people, younger people can experience them as well. The coach was just 46 years old. Here's an explanation of heart attacks at any age, and what happens when you...
She overcame heart failure, a heart transplant and cancer. Now her teenage son needs a transplant, too.
Three days after Brittany Clayborne gave birth to her son, Micah, she couldn't catch her breath. The then-26-year-old returned to the Dallas hospital where she'd given birth. Tests showed her heart chambers were enlarged and her heart muscle was weak. She had peripartum cardiomyopathy. It's a rare form of heart...
To curb high rates of heart disease and stroke, experts urge prevention and innovation
High blood pressure, obesity and other risk factors continue to contribute to high rates of heart disease and stroke worldwide, including in the U.S. where annual deaths from cardiovascular disease are approaching 1 million. That's according to an exhaustive statistics report released annually by the American Heart Association that details...
Early keeper of heart disease data poured her heart into numbers – and baseball
Every year, the American Heart Association compiles statistics that tell the story of how cardiovascular disease affects the lives of people in the U.S. and around the world. This massive, monthslong endeavor takes a team of experts who produce a book-length report covering so many topics they require chapter headings.
Her mom had 2 heart attacks in her 50s. Now she models good nutrition and fitness for her kids.
One of the best dishes to come out of Edna K. Machen's small-town West Texas home kitchen was chicken fried steak. Her fried chicken was pretty good, too. For Edna's daughter, Krissi Oden, and Krissi's older brother, Mark, and sister, Pam, the Southern home cooking – always slathered with gravy – was a comfort. When Edna wasn't cooking, she kept the family home impeccably clean. And when she wasn't cleaning, she'd volunteer at the kids' schools or get involved in fundraisers. She made each of her children a scrapbook for every year they were in school.
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Heart and Stroke News: Stories about people, science and health, from American Heart Association News.
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